Horizontally stackable tray

ABSTRACT

A tray for serving food adapted to be stacked horizontally with a similar tray including a bottom, locking means between the trays when one tray is arranged partially overlying a portion of a similar tray including engaging means on each tray engageable with companion engaging means on the overlying trays together with means for vertically stacking the trays.

United States Patent Eckdahl Aug. 22, 1972 [54] HORIZONTALLY STACKABLETRAY 1,542,115 6/ 1925 Weis ..220/4 R UX [72] lnvemon Thom HaroldEckdahl, Brooklyn 3,203,573 8/1965 Rowe ..'.220/97 D X Center, Minn-FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Assignee: Plastics, St Paul, Minn1,292,340 3/1962 France ..220/97 D 22 F1 d: 1 16 Aug 1970 PrimaryExaminer-George E. Lowrance [21] Appl. No.: 63,184 Att0meyWicks andNemer 52 us. Cl. ..220/97 R, 211/128 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d21/02 A y o e ng d adap ed to be stacked horizon- [58] FieldofSearch..220/97 R, 97 D, 23.6; 211/126, tally with a similar yIncluding a q locking 211/123 means between the trays when one tray 1Sarranged partially overlying a portion of a similar tray including [56]References Cited engaging means on each tray engageable with com- Ipanion engaging means on the overlying trays together UNITED STATESPATENTS with means for venically stacking the trays. 2,684,766 7/1954Blom ..220/97 D X 6 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures HORIZONTALLY STACKABLE TRAYSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In present day air travel prepared meals areserved to passengers during flight, on trays, and the space in theaircraft for storage of the trays is critical. Present day trays arestored edge to edge for example on shelves within a storage containeruntil used. The containers may be in the form of open end sleeves, aislecarts or other'similar devices having runners or shelves therein onwhich the tray is placed. In certain containers in present use three arestored end to end on each shelf. With the present invention five traysmay be stored on a shelf whereas formerly only three trays were storedthus conserving considerably on space and allowing storage of more traysin a given size container.

Additionally, larger trays can be used than currently employed but withno extra space necessary. Thus a given storage container can hold moretrays even though larger in size than those currently used with a givensize storage container. Further, with the subject invention the traysare releasably engaged one with the other and a tray may be easilypulled from the storage container shelf by pulling on an overlying tray.This further aids in removing a tray which is innermost in thecontainer. Also, the trays embodying the invention may be stacked in avertical resting relationship when not in use.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical container in which food traysare stored for use in an airplane with trays embodying the inventionillustrated on a shelf thereof.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of trays in horizontally stackedrelation.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tray from the underside thereof.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a tray.

FIG. 7 is a rear end view of a tray.

FIG. 8 is a front end view of a tray.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pair of trays in stacked position forstoring when not in use.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the tray A includes thesubstantially flat bottom portion 12 which is trapezoidal in form.Formed on the rear or outermost edge of the bottom 12 is the dependingflange 14 which forms a shoulder. Formed on one side edge of the bottom12 is the first depending side flange 16. The numetal 18 designates asecond depending side flange formed on the opposite side edge of thebottom. The side flanges l6 and 18 are substantially identical information and each is formed at the lower edge with a recess 20 and 22,respectively, substantially centrally of the length thereof the purposeof which will be hereinafter set forth.

The width of each of the side flanges 16 and 18 tapers from a maximumwidth at the rear or outermost end to a minimal width at the front orinnermost end. With the bottom edges of the side flanges on a supportingsurface, the bottom 12 inclines upwardly from the front edge to the rearedge and under which a portion of another tray may be positioned,particularly FIG. 3.

The side edges of the bottom 12 together with the side flanges l6 and 18converge from the rear edge to the front edge thereby forming thetrapezoidal formation referred to and particularly seen in FIG. 6.Extending upwardly from the juncture of the side flange 16 and thebottom 12 is the upstanding side rim portion 21, and extending upwardlyfrom the juncture of the side flange 18 and the bottom 12 is theupstanding side rim portion 23. The side rim portions 21 and 23 join arear transverse upstanding rim portion 24 formed on the rear edge of thetray bottom 12, the rim portion 24 substantially in alignment with theflange 14. The side rim portions 21 and 23 also join a front transverserim portion 26.

The numeral 30 designates a notch forming shoulder means formed in theupper edge of the rim portion 21 intermediate the ends thereof, and thenumeral 32 designates a notch forming shoulder means formed in the upperedge of the rim portion 23. With the outline of the tray as trapezoidalin form the front portion of a tray is received under a rear portion ofanother tray with the front portions of the flanges l6 and 18 togetherwith the rim portions 21 and 23, respectively, within the flanges 16 and18, particularly FIG. 2.

In FIG. 9 is illustrated how the trays may be horizontally stacked witha minimum of vertical dimension. To obtain the stacking of FIG. 9 theuppermost tray of FIG. 2 is rotated 360 and placed upon the lowermosttray as in FIG. 9 with the top edges of theflanges l6 and 18 received inthe recesses 20 and 22 of an uppermost tray. This allows extremelycompact vertical stacking and resting of the trays.

In use, a rear or outermost portion of one tray is positioned on a frontor innermost portion of another tray with the shoulder 14 in engagementwith the notches 30 and 32 of the underlying tray. A further tray may bepositioned similarly on the first mentioned tray, see particularly FIGS.1, 2, and 3. With the shoulder 14 of a tray in the notches 30 and 32 thetrays are releasably locked together whereby pulling on one tray therebypulls the other tray or trays in connection therewith. As indicated inthe drawings, the rear portion of the tray may include depressions forholding a salad dish, a dessert dish, condiments, etc. but the frontportion of the tray is stored with nothing on it and is overlapped instoring as above set forth and as seen in the drawings. The frontportion of the tray is used when the trays are removed singly from thecontainer C by placing on the front portion a hot casserole dish, forexample, taken from a heated container. The trays are stacked when notin use as heretofore disclosed.

I claim:

1. A tray adapted to be stacked partially horizontally and interlockedwith another similar tray in the stacked position, each of said trayscomprising:

a. a flat bottom,

b. said trays being arrangeable in partially overlying position with aportion of the bottom of the underlying tray exposed and c. lockingmeans between the trays comprising:

d. upstanding engaging means on each tray formed at the side edgessubstantially centrally of the front and rear edges and engageable withe. companion engaging means depending from the underside of an overlyingtray adjacent the outer edge thereof.

2. A tray according to claim 1 in which a. each of the side edgesincludes a raised upstanding rim, and the companion engaging means is b.a depending flange, and the engaging means is c. the rim on oppositesides, each rim having a notch providing upstanding shoulders engageablewith d. said depending flange.

3. A tray according to claim 1 in which a. the bottom of the tray istrapezoidal in form with,

b. the outermost and innermost edges of the bottom parallel and c. thelateral edges converging toward the innermost edge, and

d. flanges projecting downwardly from the lateral edges and coplanarwith the lateral portions of the rim to fit within the lateral portionsof the rim of an underlying tray when the trays are disposed inpartially overlying position.

4. A tray according to claim 3 in which a. the last named flanges taperfrom their innermost end toward their outermost ends.

5. A tray according to claim 3 in which a. the last named flanges have 5and interlocked with a similar tray, each of said trays comprising a. aflat bottom having a trapezoidal form in outline,

b. an upstanding rim formed on each side of the bottom,

c. a flange depending from the rear edge of the bottom,

d. each of said rims having a notch formed therein substantiallycentrally of the length thereof and engageable with said flange of anoverlying tray e. a flange projecting downwardly from the bottom inalignment with each of said rims,

f. each of said flanges having a recess at the locality of the notch inthe rim to receive oppositely facing flanges when the trays arevertically stacked in fully overlying positions.

1. A tray adapted to be stacked partially horizontally and interlockedwith another similar tray in the stacked position, each of said trayscomprising: a. a flat bottom, b. said trays being arrangeable inpartially overlying position with a portion of the bottom of theunderlying tray exposed and c. locking means between the trayscomprising: d. upstanding engaging means on each tray formed at the sideedges substantially centrally of the front and rear edges and engageablewith e. companion engaging means depending from the underside of anoverlying tray adjacent the outer edge thereof.
 2. A tray according toclaim 1 in which a. each of the side edges includes a raised upstandingrim, and the companion engaging means is b. a depending flange, and theengaging means is c. the rim on opposite sides, each rim having a notchproviding upstanding shoulders engageable with d. said depending flange.3. A tray according to claim 1 in which a. the bottom of the tray istrapezoidal in form with, b. the outermost and innermost edges of thebottom parallel and c. the lateral edges converging toward the innermostedge, and d. flanges projecting downwardly from the lateral edges andcoplanar with the lateral portIons of the rim to fit within the lateralportions of the rim of an underlying tray when the trays are disposed inpartially overlying position.
 4. A tray according to claim 3 in which a.the last named flanges taper from their innermost end toward theiroutermost ends.
 5. A tray according to claim 3 in which a. the lastnamed flanges have b. recesses at the localities of the notches in therim to receive oppositely facing flanges when the trays are verticallystacked in fully overlying positions.
 6. A tray adapted to be stackedpartially horizontally and interlocked with a similar tray, each of saidtrays comprising a. a flat bottom having a trapezoidal form in outline,b. an upstanding rim formed on each side of the bottom, c. a flangedepending from the rear edge of the bottom, d. each of said rims havinga notch formed therein substantially centrally of the length thereof andengageable with said flange of an overlying tray e. a flange projectingdownwardly from the bottom in alignment with each of said rims, f. eachof said flanges having a recess at the locality of the notch in the rimto receive oppositely facing flanges when the trays are verticallystacked in fully overlying positions.